If there has not been enough football already this week, it continues tonight as Thursday night football comes to the Hyundai A-League from Coopers Stadium.
Thursday night football comes to the Hyundai A-League tonight as Adelaide United play host to the Wellington Phoenix at Coopers Stadium.
Originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon, the Reds and Phoenix will now kick-off Round 21 (Erase Racism Round) as the race for the top six hots up with less than a third of the season remaining and just nine points separating third and last on the ladder.
The evenness and congestion is magnified further as four teams are only split by two points, of which Adelaide and Wellington are two in that bracket, meaning tonight-s game – ok let-s face it, every game from here on in – will prove crucial in who makes it and who misses out come finals time.
The match may pit fifth and seventh but it is a game worthy of high attention and anticipation. The Reds have only suffered two losses since mid December in a run that has led to murmurs of them being a possible top four candidate. Notably, one of the two defeats in that 11 game stretch came to the Phoenix in Auckland.
Wellington are in a similar boat, having also only tasted defeat twice in that period, one being a shock 5-0 home drubbing at the hands of the bottom placed Melbourne Heart. Apart from that hiccup, Ernie Merrick-s men are playing the football that could well see them feature at the business end of the season, while his opposite number Josep Gombau-s much publicised playing style is starting to evolve in the City of Churches with the Reds producing some of the most exciting football of any team this season.
Both sides have serious potency up front and have proven to have intent to create chances. On the basis of all of this, tonight-s encounter is going to be one worth heading along to if you-re in Adelaide or one to park yourself in front of the box on Fox Sports 3.
Kick-Off at Coopers Stadium is at 7:00pm local (7:30pm AEDT). Join the Twitter conversation using hashtags #ADLvWEL #EraseRacism or follow it on the LIVE Match Centre.
